25 Days of Christmas
by NerdySkeleton
Summary: 25 different aspects of the Christmas season all spread out across 25 days. Shopping, baking, and egg nog galore! Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, and everything else! Dedicated to all my friends, and one special friend yeah, you, HJ! :D
1. Christmas Music

"Tanith," Valkyrie Cain asked for the umpteenth time, "_please _shut that off."

Tanith Low turned in her shotgun seat to face Valkyrie. "What's wrong with a little Christmas music?"

"The fact that it's been playing since November 1st," she argued back.

Tanith frowned. "But…it's Christmas!" she said. "It's the happiest time of the year!"

"Okay sure, but not when it's been Christmas for two months!"

"I do admit," Skulduggery Pleasant said, quickly joining in on the argument, "this music has gotten a bit annoying."

"Hush Skulduggery," Tanith smirked, "nobody wants your opinion."

He frowned. "I'm sure Valkyrie approves of my opinion. Don't you Valkyrie?" he looked up in the rearview mirror. She had taken out her mp3 player, now mouthing the words to something.

Skulduggery sighed; turning to face the road again, as Tanith happily cranked the volume up.

* * *

Here's the first one! I plan for all of these to be pretty short, because no way am I do 2000 word drabbles for twenty-five days! D:

Anyways, hope you liked this first installment and look out for the second day sometime tomorrow!


	2. Mall Santa

"What kind of criminal would hide out in a freaking mall?" Fletcher asked. He looked around the stores and kiosks at the large mall.

"A very smart one," Skulduggery replied. "We haven't found him yet, have we?"

Fletcher frowned. "Well how much longer until we _do _find him? My feet hurt!"

"Oh why don't you call the 'Waaaah-ambulance', Fletcher?" Valkyrie grumbled.

"Someone got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning!" he replied happily.

Valkyrie rolled her eyes. "Yeah," she mumbled, "because this doofus woke me up!" She pointed an accusing finger at Skulduggery.

He merely shrugged. "We had a case partner. I-" He was suddenly cut off by a chorus of 'ho, ho, hos.' They rounded the corner and saw a huge "Santa's Workshop" set up. There were people dressed as elves, and they were bustling around, grabbing little presents and screaming children.

"Wow," Fletcher whistled. "I remember doing that."

"I bet your screamed and screamed every year you went," Valkyrie smirked.

He nodded. "I did. Then the last year I went was then I accidentally pulled Santa's beard off."

Skulduggery laughed. "Leave it to Fletcher to ruin every little kid's Christmas."

Fletcher frowned as the other two laughed, but then stopped. He could have sworn that Santa was staring straight at them.

"Hey guys," he muttered, "I think that Santa was staring at us."

"Ew!" Valkyrie grumbled. "Creeper."

"No I mean he was looking at us like he knew who we are."

"Ho, ho, ho kids!" the Santa boomed. "I think it's about time my little elves and I head back to the North Pole. I need to keep making all your little presents!"

The kids all frowned and a chorus of "aww" was heard. The elf helpers looked incredibly confused, but they went along with it. The Santa got up from his huge red throne and tottered off towards the food court. But he suddenly ducked behind a column.

Skulduggery nodded once, and they all went charging up to him. Fletcher and Valkyrie grabbed his arms, while Skulduggery stepped to the front.

"Alright, alright!" he howled. "I'll go quietly, detective! Just don't hurt me."

Skulduggery nodded. "Good to hear, Tish Forward. And because I'm feeling so generous, I won't cuff you yet. We don't want the little kids thinking Santa Claus is getting arrested."

Forward nodded and hung his head down glumly.

"Hey Santa," Fletcher said casually," while I have you here, could I have a green Ferrari for Christmas?"

* * *

Thank you for all the kind reviews guys! Keep them coming! :D


	3. Snow!

Valkyrie Cain and Tanith Low burst through the back door to Gordon's old mansion. They both immediately collapsed onto the powder white ground.

"I would marry snow if I could!" Tanith shouted to the sky.

"Well I'd end up stealing him from you!" Valkyrie smiled. She spread her arms and legs wide, and began to make a snow angle. Tanith immediately hopped up and began gathering snow up.

"Snowman?" she offered to Valkyrie. She grinned and stepped away from her angel. They both gathered clumps of snow and began piling them together. After a few failed attempts, their man was complete.

"He looks a little lopsided," Valkyrie pointed out.

Tanith shrugged. "I have an idea to fix that." She smiled and disappeared through the mansion door. She returned about five minutes later, carrying a tan overcoat, a scarf, and a fedora type hat. She trudged over to the snowman and placed the scarf around the neck part, the hat atop its cold head, and the coat around the body.

"Is that supposed to be me?" a smooth voice came from the door to the mansion. The girls both turned around and saw Skulduggery standing there. His arms were folded across his chest.

Tanith nodded. "Yep! I think it's pretty accurate!"

"I think he needs to be a little thinner."

"Oh you perfectionist!" Valkyrie grumbled, throwing a huge clump of snow at him. He tried dodging out of the way, but the snow still hit him square in the face. He froze, reached his hands up to his eye sockets, and removed the snow that had caught in there.

"That was not funny at all!" he shouted as three more snowballs came rushing towards him.

* * *

Thanks for your super kind reviews guys! I love ya!


	4. Lights

Valkyrie sat, defeated, in a giant pile of Christmas lights. She had tried untangling them for hours, but no such luck. She sighed and threw a strong of lights in another room, only for a shout to follow. Valkyrie frowned and watched as Fletcher stomped into the room.

"Why the need to throw Christmas lights at me?" he whined.

"Sorry, sorry," she apologized and stood up. "I'm just frustrated."

"How can you be mad at lights?"

"Because they're all tangled! It's infuriating!"

Fletcher shrugged. "Here, I'll help." He immediately sat down at the pile and took one little strand. "The key to untangling things is to do it carefully and precisely. Or, if you want to be a spaz, just shake it around violently until it comes undone."

He leaned in closer to the pile, pulled one a few places, and _voila _it came undone.

"Here's one string," he mumbled and threw it across the room. "The rest won't be hard."

And it wasn't. He took a total of fifteen minutes to untangle twenty strings. Valkyrie stared on in awe. "How did you do that so fast?" she said. "I sat there for hours trying to get one to untangle!"

He shrugged again. "I guess I'm just better than you." He ducked a punch from Valkyrie. "Ready to hang them up? I assume that was your original plan."

She nodded and grabbed a bunch of strings and set out outside. "Gordon said he'd never forgive me if I didn't decorate his house for Christmas. He said that'd since no one else even remotely close to him put up any lights, he always made sure to make it was bright and decorative as possible."

"Your uncle was weird," Fletcher decided.

"He was at that."

It was a few hours later, and it was dark, but Gordon's old mansion was totally covered in lights.

"I think we did good considering you're only fifteen and I'm eighteen," Fletcher smiled. "I congratulate us. But mostly me, since I saved your life about five times."

"It's not my fault that ladder is unstable!"

Fletcher snorted. He bent down to plug something else in. The roof instantly lit up, with reindeer all lined up.

"That's creepy Fletcher," Valkyrie announced.

He smiled. "But this way, Santa and his reindeer will know where to go on Christmas Eve!"

Valkyrie rolled her eyes and went back into the house. "Yes, because Santa's real all right…"

* * *

Oh my gosh, you guys are all so sweet! I can't believe there's 15 reviews already! Thank you all so incredibly much! :D


	5. Decorations

"What in the world are these?" Ghastly asked, holding up a huge box.

Valkyrie grinned. "They're little houses! They're the cutest things ever."

"They look a little creepy to me," Tanith said, looking at the box.

"Well they're cute when they're all lit up!" Valkyrie insisted. She took the box, opened it, took out the houses, and plugged them in. They instantly lit up, and Tanith squealed.

"Oh my gosh!" she giggled. "Those are adorable!" She ran up to the houses and looked at them closer. She reached into a nearby box and pulled out a few figurines and placed them around the houses. Valkyrie grinned and stood up and wandered over to another box. She opened it, peeked inside, and then smiled. She reached in and pulled out a box of pictures. They were from all of Gordon's past Christmas parties.

There were a few _very shameful _years. But then there were the happy, wonderful years. She sifted through the photos of her old, deceased uncle, and smiled at the memories.

There was the year when the rug caught on fire. That was hilarious. Then the year where her mother and father sang a rousing chorus of "Joy to the World." Gordon had got all the pictures, secretly, and shown them to Valkyrie the next day.

She put the box to the side and pulled out a huge piece of folded up felt. It was green, with red lettering at the top. The letters read "The Best Moments of Christmas." There were holes where he had thumb tacked it to the wall, and little spots for the pictures to be placed. Gordon had all sorts of cameras. He had a Polaroid one, digital one, and a huge old time-y one.

Valkyrie smiled sadly, reminiscing. She sifted through the box again, and saw a flash of a picture out of her eye. She picked it up, and studied it.

In the foreground was Gordon, Valkyrie's parents, and Valkyrie herself, though she was only a toddler. But the strangest thing was the background. She noticed on the coffee table a hat. A fedora to be exact.

She smiled and got up. "Skulduggery!" she called through the house.


	6. Real Shopping

"This is impossible, Tanith!" Valkyrie shouted, utterly defeated.

"We're just not trying hard enough!" she replied, annoyed.

"I am trying!"

"Well try harder!"

Valkyrie sighed in frustration and collapsed on a nearby bench. "Tanith!" she cried out. "We've been here for _two hours _and haven't found anything for anyone!"

"I know, I know," she sighed and sat down next to Valkyrie.

"Can't we get everyone gift cards and be done with it?"

"We could, but I find gift cards insulting."

"How?"

"They're not very personal."

Valkyrie paused. "…Could I write a note in it? That'd be personal."

"Oh, ha, ha."

Valkyrie groaned and stood up again. She and Tanith began walking aimlessly around again. They had walked past every store now, and nothing seemed good enough. Everyone they knew was absolutely impossible to shop for! Ghastly didn't have a lot of hobbies; Skulduggery basically sat around, petting his ego; and Fletcher just stared in a mirror the whole time!

"Hey look Valkyrie!" Tanith called out. "Come here!" She pointed to a fancy looking store called "Brookstone." There were little gadgets all around the place.

"Fletcher would not be able to live in this place for two seconds," Valkyrie grumbled as she picked up a little iPod accessory. Suddenly, an idea stuck her.

"Tanith!" she called through the store. "I know where we're going!"

"Where?" she called back.

"It's a secret!"

* * *

No really. It is ;)


	7. Fake Shopping

"Shouldn't this be easier than getting actual gifts?" Fletcher whined.

"You think it would be," Ghastly replied sadly.

Skulduggery turned to glare at them. "Come on then. We're running out of time."

"When did they say they'd be back?"

"Three o'clock," Skulduggery responded, folding his arms across his chest.

"Alright, alright," Ghastly muttered, checking his watch. "We'll get moving. What exactly are we looking for?"

"Gag gifts!" Fletcher shouted happily.

They all nodded and set off in one direction. They passed by stores and stores, all selling things at outrageous prices. It was suddenly, when they came across a huge pink store did they all stop.

"There is no way in all the seven rings of hell you two will get me in there," Skulduggery said firmly. "I said that I wouldn't go that far for a gag gift, and I stand by that."

"But it would be perfect!" Fletcher protested. "Seriously. And it would be the greatest of all fake gifts for them! Just imagine," he said and slung his arm around Skulduggery, placing his hand out in front of them. "Just imagine those two waking up, Christmas morning, bounding down the stairs like four year olds, excited as can be. They open the boxes, and they pull out…"

Skulduggery sighed and looked up at the store. He waited a moment. "No," he finally said. "We'll find something else."

"Nothing will be able to top that!" Fletcher groaned. "Right Ghastly?"

"I'm staying out of this," he said and held up his hands.

"Come on!" Skulduggery groaned. "You just wasted five minutes!" He beckoned for the two men to follow him.

Fletcher sighed unhappily as he walked away from the pink store, with the big posters of models in barely anything. "One day, _Victoria's Secret_," he mumbled.

* * *

GET IT?! If you don't…well. I'm not sure.

:D


	8. Eggnog

"Ew."

"What?"

"That." Valkyrie pointed to the glass of white liquid by Tanith's side. "That," she said again.

"Oh so what? What do you have against delicious, hot, sweet, milky eggnog?" Tanith pouted.

"The fact that it's eggnog!" Valkyrie argued. "It's disgusting!"

"Have you ever had eggnog?"

"Yeah," she smugly replied, "and it was the grossest thing ever."

"How old were you?"

"Seven," Valkyrie answered.

"Well taste alters after time! Try some," Tanith said and handed Valkyrie the glass. But Valkyrie pushed it away with her hand.

"If I wanted to throw up, I'd have some."

"Fine, party pooper," Tanith grumbled. "More for me." She got up and stomped away into the kitchen. Suddenly, there was a scream, and a crash. Valkyrie ran into the room. She scanned the room for damage, but just saw Tanith on the floor, with a white milk by her.

"You can clean that up."

* * *

What in the world is eggnog even made of?!


	9. Stories

Valkyrie groaned at the sight of more snow. It had been snowing for almost three days straight! She, Ghastly, and Skulduggery were all cooped up in Gordon's huge home. Sure, it was warm and nice, but they were getting restless.

Ghastly looked up from the book he was reading to watch the snow. "Snow is like a power outage," he announced. "The first few times it's fun, but then it just gets annoying." Valkyrie laughed and went to sit next to Skulduggery on the couch beside Ghastly.

"Remember that one Christmas, Ghastly?" Skulduggery asked, drawing back his skull in remembrance.

He looked up. "Oh yes, that _one _Christmas," he replied sarcastically. "What one? They were all pretty crazy."

"That one with the blizzard and the pigeon," Skulduggery sighed. "Oh, and the snake."

"No one could forget that," he laughed.

Valkyrie looked between the two. "A pigeon? And a snake?"

"Oh yes."

"Care to explain?"

"No."

Valkyrie _humphed _and smacked Skulduggery's arm. "Tell me!" she whined.

Skulduggery sighed and he would have rolled his eyes. "Well, it was Christmas day on a day much like this one." He paused and looked at the ground. "Could I go sit in a red velvet armchair by the fire and tell this?" he suddenly asked.

"No, why the hell would you want to do that?"

"Because all the sophisticated storytellers sit in a red velvet armchair by a fire! Or do you have a pipe I could use?"

"No, just tell the story," Valkyrie commanded.

He sighed again. "Fine. Where was I?"

Valkyrie rolled her eyes. "It was snowing."

"Oh, yes, the snow," he smiled. "Well, Ghastly and I were looking for an escaped convict. A woman by the name of…Andromeda View. Beautiful, but lethal. Now she was a necromancer, but one of the worst I've ever seen. She couldn't control her powers at all."

"She ended up cutting off his leg because when she was unconscious," Ghastly added quietly.

Skulduggery shot him a look. "_Anyway_, Andromeda eventually stumbled upon us-"

"Don't you mean you stumbled upon her?" Valkyrie asked, interrupting him.

He shook his head. "We were just sitting in the Bentley, looking around for her, when someone slammed into the back. There she was. As I was saying, she came to us and we immediately began fighting."

"She could really throw a punch," Ghastly said.

Skulduggery nodded. "Ouch," he mumbled. "After fighting for a while, she paused, stepped back….and…."

"What happened next?"

"She threw up…on my shoes," he mumbled quietly.

Valkyrie stared at him. "Seriously?"

"Seriously. She was pretty drunk, which is probably why she crashed into the Bentley. We arrested her, and chucked her in the back of the Bentley, but not before giving her a plastic bag. That was disgusting."

Ghastly nodded solemnly.

"We drove along to the Sanctuary, when suddenly we heard a cooing. Ghastly looked up in the rearview mirror and saw that Andromeda View had a pigeon in her coat pocket."

"You're kidding."

"I am most certainly not." Skulduggery grinned and sat back. "She pet the pigeon for a while, then she reached into her coat again and whipped out a snake. She kept talking to them, and it was truthfully, incredibly awkward."

Ghastly nodded again.

"After we finally dumped her off at the Sanctuary, she asked if we could take care of her pets, 'Guinness' and 'Harp Lager.'"

"She named them after beer brands?" Valkyrie asked, totally floored.

"She did, indeed. We took her pets back to my place and I put them in a box. I left, and returned a week later."

"Did they escape?"

He nodded sadly. "I never saw poor Guinness or Harp Lager again. Hopefully they're alright." He smiled at Valkyrie. "And that, is the story of the Christmas of 1960.

"Wow," Valkyrie said, the only thing she could manage out of her mouth. "A pigeon and a snake?"

"Yes," Skulduggery responded, getting up to sit in the _blue _velvet armchair by the fire.

"Want to hear about the trumpets and trees next?"

* * *

Meh. Didn't know what I was really doing...

DOES ANYONE WATCH GLEE?! DID YOU SEE THE SECTIONALS EPISODE?


	10. Santa?

"Fletcher," Valkyrie said softly, with Tanith behind her. "We have something very serious to discuss."

He looked up, big-eyed, like a little kid. "What's wrong?"

"I think it's time that you learned the truth," Tanith said, stepping forward.

"The truth that Santa Claus isn't real," Valkyrie added softly.

Fletcher looked horrified, his eyes welling up with tears. "Santa is real!" he said and crossed his arms. "He is, he is!"

Valkyrie sighed and stepped away. "Next year?" she asked Tanith.

"He'll be nineteen. I don't know if he'll be old enough," she whispered.

Valkyrie nodded. "You never know with Fletcher."

* * *

Excluding this little note right here, this is the VERY FIRST thing I've ever written that is EXACTLY 100 words.

CELEBRATE :D


	11. Luminaries

"It's the eleventh! Is it necessary to do this now?" Skulduggery groaned. "I hate these things."

"Well then you can just go sulk in a corner, baby," Valkyrie replied, throwing a handful of sand at him.

"Luminaries are pretty!" Tanith shouted . "How can you not like them?"

"They're pretty when they're all done, but it takes so long to get them all set up! I don't have that patience."

"You're so dumb," Valkyrie groaned and set to the candles. Fletcher appeared next to her and took the candles. He tried to light one, but the flame rose up unexpectedly and his sleeve caught on fire.

Valkyrie looked over at Fletcher, who was desperately trying to put his arm out. "Alright," she sighed. "Nevermind."

* * *

My neighborhood does luminaries every Christmas Eve, so…

:D


	12. Wrapping

"Tape."

"Tape."

Valkyrie broke off a piece from the tape canister Tanith was holding and pressed it down on the colorful paper. She picked up the box with Ghastly's present in it and shook it slightly.

"Hear anything?" She shook it again.

Tanith shook her head. "Nope!" She grinned and took the box. "Alright, we got Ghastly done. Want to wrap Fletcher's next?"

"Sure." Valkyrie got up and grabbed the little box Fletcher's gift was in, snuggled in with tissue paper. Tanith took a sheet of wrapping paper and snipped off the amount needed.

_Knock knock. _

Valkyrie and Tanith looked up in shock.

"Can I come in?" came Fletcher's voice.

"No!" they both shouted.

He paused, opening the door slowly. "Why no-ot?" he whined. "It's just for a second!"

"You can't come in!"

They heard him sigh. "Oh…" he muttered and they could _hear _the smirk in his voice. "Are you wrapping my _presents_?"

There was a silence, then the door came completely ajar and Fletcher barged in.

"Out!"

* * *

We got our Christmas tree today :33 We named him 'Scotty' from Star Trek.


	13. Scrooge

This was suggested by the one and only HJ. I wuvs her.

And I realize I sorta forget to add who added to ideas for my chapters…so I formally apologize to ya'll that helped me. Like…a lot of you said stuff in snow…and I ready did snow…

Yep.

WE ARE ESSENTIALLY HALF WAY THROUGH CHRISTMAS

* * *

"Merry Christmas!" Valkyrie chorused, walking into Kenspeckle's lab.

Clarabelle looked up happily. "Merry Christmas!" she grinned and immediately put down the rag she was using to clean the counters with and began humming "Silent Night." She glided around the room lazily, waving her arms about, until Kenspeckle burst through the lab doors.

"I will only accept that it is Christmas on Christmas day!" he barked. "None of this sugar-coated, goody-goody, jolly St. Nick business."

Valkyrie was stunned. "Do you…not like Christmas?" she asked, a little scared.

"I hate Christmas!" he shouted. "It's incredibly annoying and stressful. Don't expect any gifts from me!"

Valkyrie shrugged. "Alright then. Fine by us. We don't have to get you anything."

He paused and frowned a little deeper, and sadness filled his eyes. "Really?"

"Yeah!" Valkyrie smiled. "If you don't like Christmas, there's no point in anyone trying to get you to. That saves me a whole lot of work and stress."

"How so? I don't understand…" His eyes looked downward.

Valkyrie shrugged. "Well just about _everyone _is impossible to shop for. I couldn't think of anything for you, so this works out. Thanks Kenspeckle!"

He scratched his head. "Am I that hard to shop for?" he asked doubtfully.

Valkyrie nodded. "Definitely. Everyone's pretty hard to shop for. But, yeah, you especially.

"I like…books…" he mumbled.

Valkyrie smiled widely. "Alright then, Kenspeckle. Merry Christmas." She turned sharply and swept out of the room and to the waiting motorcycle with Tanith by its side.

"Did you convince him?"

"Oh yes."

* * *

I SAW PRINCESS AND THE FROG TODAY. IT WAS SO FANTASTIC.


	14. Dear Santa

Dear Santa Claus,

Hey there, big guy. It's Fletcher. Everyone keeps saying that you're not real, but I know you are. What about that time when I was five and I saw that huge guy in red stomping around my house? 'Course…that was in June…not December. But I'm sure you were just staking out to see if I was being naughty or nice. I hope I've been nice enough this year. You know who hasn't been nice? Valkyrie. She keeps hitting me and slapping me! It _hurts._ Anyways, thanks for the awesome presents in advance!

-Fletcher

* * *

Santa,

Fletcher's making me write one of these things. It's stupid if you ask me. I'm fifteen for God's sake! Don't listen to a word he says. Fletcher is totally insane. He's the mean one. I'm not mean; I'm just defending myself. You have no idea how awful he is. Anyway, blah, blah, blah. I hope I've been nice and I'll get good presents.

--Valkyrie

* * *

Santa Claus…

I am a skeleton. There is no reason I should be writing this. Fletcher (who is eighteen, mind you) and Valkyrie (fifteen!) ganged up on me and forced me to write this idiotic letter. Here, I'm writing. Get me good presents…and that's it. Happy, Valkyrie and Fletcher?

~Skulduggery

* * *

Hey, I still write a letter! :D


	15. Derek the Tree

"What about that one?" Tanith suggested.

"Too skinny," Valkyrie mumbled, judging the tree Skulduggery was holding up.

Ghastly stepped up beside them, holding another tree. "Yes? No? Maybe so?"

"Definitely no," Valkyrie said, smiling as he rolled his eyes.

Skulduggery huffed and placed the other tree he was holding back. "Valkyrie, why _must _you make this so incredibly _difficult_? It's a damn tree. Pick one and be on with it."

"It's not that simple, Mr. Pleasant," she scoffed. "There are many requirements for a tree. First, it must have a whole lot of strong branches, since Gordon has a lot of heavy ornaments. Second, it needs to be a dark green. Third, it needs to be full with barely any gaps or holes with no branches. Then fourth, since we name the tree, he/she/it needs to look like the person or whatever I'm naming the tree after."

"It's a _tree_!" Skulduggery shouted. "How can a giant, green tree look like a person?"

"It can!" Valkyrie shouted back. "It does every year."

He sighed and went over to another tree. "This one fits your requirements."

She shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. But it doesn't give me the right vibe."

He groaned and set it back down. "Will you ever be pleased, your highness?"

Valkyrie smiled. "What about that one right there?" She pointed to one a few ways off. Skulduggery went and picked it up, shook it around slightly, and spun it around to look at it from all sides. "I like it!" Valkyrie smiled and stroked a few of the branches. "What should we name him/her/it?"

Skulduggery paused. "Only after the greatest man that ever lived," he said smugly.

"Oh please!" Fletcher called from a few yards away. "You're making me blush!"

Valkyrie giggled and looked at the tree. "He looks like a…like a Derek to me."

Skulduggery tilted his head. "Derek it is, then, I suppose."

"Derek!"

* * *

See where I got the Derek from, huh, huh, huh?


	16. Specials

"How does having a glowing, red nose affect your ability to be on Santa's sleigh team?" Valkyrie asked, frustrated at how everyone was treating poor Rudolph on T.V.

"Apparently having a regular nose is _everything _in Christmas Town," Ghastly mumbled.

"Racist!" she shouted and threw her popcorn at the TV.

Tanith giggled. "Well, this is pretty sexist too. Rudolph's dad wouldn't let Rudolph's mom go with him to search for their kid! How awful is that? Women can do anything a man can do!"

"Except pee standing up," Fletcher remarked, grinning stupidly. Valkyrie groaned and slapped his head. He frowned, but turned back to the TV.

Valkyrie laughed as Yukon Cornelius, Hermie, and Rudolph stumbled around the Island of Misfit Toys. The toys all around started singing and dancing.

"What was ever wrong with the little doll?" she wondered aloud.

Tanith shrugged. "I thought about that too. And so what if your name is Charlie and you are a Jack in the Box? Who cares?"

"Well it messes up the whole history of the toy, Tanith," Ghastly replied coolly.

She poked her tongue out. "I'd want a Charlie in the Box!" she pouted. They all chuckled at her and set into a comfortable silence as they watched the rest of the movie.

When it was over, Fletcher smiled and changed the channel. Frosty the Snowman was on.

"More?"

Everyone nodded eagerly.

* * *

I actually hate Frosty the Snowman. He's just annoying…XD


	17. Movies

_"George Bailey? Is this the ear you can't hear in? George Bailey, I'll love you till the day I die."_

"This is the sweetest movie _ever_!" Tanith squealed. "I'd watch 'It's a Wonderful Life' every _freaking _day if I wanted to!"

Valkyrie nodded enthusiastically. "It's so perfect. Why can't all movies be like this?"

"I'm not sure," Tanith shrugged sadly, "but I think every movie should be in black and white from now on!" Both laughed, and settled in quietly for the rest of the movie.

It was around two hours later, and the most climatic scene of the movie was starting.

_"Clarence! Clarence! Help me, Clarence! Get me back! Get me back, I don't care what happens to me! Get me back to my wife and kids! Help me Clarence, please! Please! I wanna live again. I wanna live again. Please, God, let me live again."_

Valkyrie bit her lip as the snow that had fallen earlier began again. She broke into a grin when Bert, the police officer pulled up. George Bailey was alive again.

"That's so sweet," she muttered warmly.

"Yeah, that's cute and all, but I like it when he finally gets home to Mary and the kids," Tanith explained, popping a piece of popcorn in her mouth. "That's cuter. He finally realized that his family loves him, and they'll make it through."

Valkyrie stared. "Wow. Was that rehearsed?" Tanith laughed and threw a pillow at Valkyrie. They each smiled widely as George burst through the old door of his old home and ran up the old staircase, kissing the banister knob. His children all rushed down to see him and hug him. He kissed and hugged them and smiled and laughed. Mary, his wife, burst through the door, smiling at George.

She brings in a whole group of people, who donate money to George, making him the richest man in town.

"Oh that's so sweet," Tanith sighed, "I love how they're all singing at the end. And Clarence got his wings!"

"That is sort of awesome."

"Totally."

They let the credits roll, each sighing, and trying not to cry at the mushy ending.

"Nightmare Before Christmas?" Valkyrie asked, a little choked up.

Tanith nodded quickly. "That doesn't make me cry!" Valkyrie quick popped the movie in, and settled in as the beginning started up. The first song hummed quietly from the TV, and eventually Tanith and Valkyrie sang along.

"I wish it was always Christmas."

* * *

It's A Wonderful Life. _Greatest movie ever._

:D


	18. Relatives

Oh man. I suck. See, the reason this wasn't uploaded on the correct day was because I was incredibly sick. I kept puking and I had a really high temperature. Sure, I got the day off from school, but I felt like total crap, so it wasn't fun. I'm feeling loads better now, so here's day eighteen one day late. The nineteenth will be up later today (hopefully!).

* * *

"Do you know where Valkyrie is?"

"She went back to her house to actually spend time with her parents," Ghastly replied, answering Skulduggery. "No one has heard from her since."

Skulduggery nodded, pulling out his cell phone. He dialed Valkyrie's number, and waited for her to pick up.

"What do you want?" came her agitated voice from the other end.

"A nice hello perhaps," Skulduggery said, irritated. "What's the problem?"

"A whole ton of my relatives came over last night, and they keep asking me questions. Are all grandparents supposed to pinch your cheeks really hard, or do mine and the ones in the movies only do that?"

Skulduggery chuckled. "Need a distraction?" he asked sympathetically. He could tell she was debating it.

"It would be nice, but not right now. I do feel bad I haven't really spent time with my parents at all," she muttered.

He nodded. "I understand. We'll drop by in a few hours." Valkyrie sighed and hung up quickly, then rushed back downstairs to her relatives.

It was – a few hours later, actually – when there was a knock at the door. Valkyrie rushed to answer it, a little shocked as Skulduggery glared down at her.

"Why are _you _here?"

"You wanted to get out of here!"

"Yeah, but why not send Fletcher? He's more normal looking. You look like some creeper. I'm sure my grandparents will think you're some drug dealer or something," she explained, worried.

"Stephanie?" a high pitched voice came from the kitchen. A frail old woman with black hair curled into a bun with a green pant suit wandered over to her and Skulduggery. "You look familiar," she remarked as she looked up and down Skulduggery.

"I'm a friend of Gordon's," he said respectfully. "It's nice to see you again, Mrs. Edgley." He grabbed her hand softly and kissed it.

"Oh yes," she smiled, "I remember you, Mr. Pleasant. Come in here!" She led the way through to the living room. "I remember everyone loved you!"

He chuckled and stole a quick glance back at Valkyrie. Her mouth was wide open, in complete and utter shock.

He merely shrugged.


	19. Gaudy Decorations

"Woah," Valkyrie said suddenly, sitting up from her passenger seat in the Bentley. "Those lights could not be any brighter." She pointed to the side at a house that had hundreds of little white lights all scattered around. Some were blinking, some were still, and others were dead.

"What about those neon blue ones?" Skulduggery replied casually, flicking his wrist to the opposite side at a house that had incredibly painful-to-look-at blue lights on trees and the roof.

"Wow. That's crazy. We did a much better job at decorating than these people did."

"But Fletcher decided to put those creepy reindeer on the roof."

"That was only so 'Santa could find his way'. That kid needs to come to reality and face the facts."

"I pity him sometimes," Skulduggery sighed.

Valkyrie stared. "That was a joke, right?"

"Half-n-half," he replied coolly, turned the Bentley up the street to Gordon's house. Valkyrie gasped and groaned, a nightmare becoming real.

Fletcher was standing in the front yard, with a huge blow-up Santa, glowing brightly.

"This," Skulduggery sighed, "is not one of those times I pity him, however."


	20. Baking

Woah. Can you believe it's only five days till Christmas?!

* * *

"Are the fire alarms working?" Ghastly asked sternly.

"Yes," Tanith and Valkyrie said together.

"Do you have a fire extinguisher around?" Skulduggery frowned.

"We do," Tanith sighed. "We won't burn the house down. Have some faith in us."

"Only when those cookies are done and not blackened and/or charred, will I have faith," Ghastly muttered. "Don't even try and let Fletcher help, alright?"

"Oh yeah," Valkyrie nodded, "he isn't allowed in the house until we say so." Both men nodded, shared an uneasy glance at each other, and then swiftly left.

"I thought they'd never leave," Tanith grumbled and set to the kitchen to get the ingredients for cookies. "It was just _one _time that pie caught on fire!"

"Totally," Valkyrie agreed, pre-heating the oven. "They need to let it go." She sighed and turned to Tanith, just in time to see three eggs fall from her hands and land on the floor in a gooey, cracked mess.

Tanith grinned. "Maybe we're a little clumsy."

* * *

It snowed a whole lot while I was all dead and sick, so my sister and I went out in the snow today. It was sooo much fun.

:D


	21. Decorating Cookies

"It's always so hard to get the stuff out," Valkyrie whined, squeezing a tube of red icing. It all came piling out onto the little snowman shaped cookie she was decorating. "Dammit!" she shouted.

"Oh that's fine," Tanith said soothingly. "Just spread it around. It'll have a pretty red dress on."

Valkyrie sighed and took her finger and spread the icing around. She put some on the legs, and the body, and the arms. She took some white sprinkles and put them around the edges.

"See!" Tanith exclaimed. "You made her all pretty!"

Valkyrie smiled and placed the cookie on a separate tray. "Who in the world is that?"

Tanith visibly blushed. "…Ghastly."

"Oooh!" Valkyrie squealed and examined the little snowman cookie closer. He had black eyes and small little black lines on his face. There were green stripes on the body part, like the green suit he wore sometimes.

"Wow," Valkyrie breathed. "That has to be the cutest cookie ever." Tanith giggled and placed the Ghastly cookie on the same tray as Valkyrie had done with her cookies. She took a plain round one and grabbed the yellow icing. She squirted a huge glob of icing at the top and swirled it around in spikes and weird pointed ends. Tanith took the black icing and made two little eyes, and a little smirk for a mouth.

"I call eating the Fletcher cookie!" Valkyrie shouted, happily taking the round cookie and placing it beside the Ghastly cookie. Valkyrie grabbed one of the misshapen snowmen cookies and gave him a hat, frizzy red icing hair, big black sunglasses, and put blue stripes down the body.

"Skulduggery," she murmured, smiling at Tanith's Kenspeckle cookie. Both giggled and sat down to make more of their friends.

*

Skulduggery closed the front door of Gordon's place gracefully. He frowned slightly at the giggling from the kitchen, as neither Tanith, nor Valkyrie ever _giggled_. He stepped into the kitchen and saw both of them covered in icing. There were cookies lined up on the counters.

"Hi!" Tanith smiled.

"Hello there," he greeted them, still slightly confused. "Why are these ones all on their own?" He pointed to the ones on the counter.

"They're the special ones."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah," Valkyrie grinned, "they're the cookies of all of us."

His head tilted to the side, and he smiled slightly. He examined a cookie with black hair, going down to the waist of the snowman shape.

"Is this you, Valkyrie?" he asked, pointing to the cookie. She nodded.

"I'm sorry, but your hair is not that long."

She sighed and picked the cookie up, scraped some of the icing off on her finger, then wiped it off on Skulduggery's face. "Better?"

He examined the cookie. "Much better."

* * *

:D Four more days!


	22. Mistletoe

"Hey!" Valkyrie announced. "Look at that!" She pointed to the ceiling, where a little bunch of green was tied with white ribbon was attached. "Mistletoe!"

Tanith frowned slightly. "When did that get there?"

"Yeah," Ghastly replied, "and way to be subtle….Where are you going? You can't sneak away while we're directly looking at you!" He frowned at Valkyrie, as she winked and bolted off, tearing through Gordon's house. She left Tanith and Ghastly standing there awkwardly.

"Um."

"Should we go?" Ghastly asked, keeping his voice level.

Tanith nodded. "Why not?"

They stepped out of the house and stopped abruptly. There was a humongous tree branch right by the door, with the same style of mistletoe tied to one of the branches. They both laughed nervously, but kept walking. Both stopped abruptly, again, at Tanith's motorcycle. There was a fishing pole tied to one of the handles, with more mistletoe hanging from the line at the top.

Ghastly sighed, but stopped when Tanith leaned her face in quickly, gave him a quick and sweet kiss on the lips. His eyes opened wide, as his cheeks turned to a darkened pink.

"Uh."

Tanith smiled and kissed him again. "Merry Christmas."

* * *

THREE FREAKING DAYS. :DDDD


	23. Gingerbread House Making

TODAY was my VERY last day of school in 2009. I am quite ecstatic about this.

* * *

"Quick! Go! Go, go, go!" Tanith shouted as she put the last string of white icing on the gingerbread house. Valkyrie's hands shot out and gripped the second roof piece to the wall. She held them in place as the icing set and dried. Both sighed in relief.

"After three failed attempts," Skulduggery announced, "we have a successful house. Very lovely."

"Well it's not done yet, silly!" Tanith grinned and opened up a huge bag of candy. She dumped out the little packets of skittles, M&Ms, gumdrops, and other little things. "A gingerbread house takes a long time to complete," she said. "Don't expect it to be done for another hour or so. It will need to be absolutely perfect."

**Exactly One Hour Later**

"Done yet?" Skulduggery asked, smirking as he came into the kitchen. He looked from the two girls to the house again and again. The house had a few pitiful little candies stuck to it with the icing, but that was about it. "What happened to all that stuff you had?"

Valkyrie and Tanith looked up sheepishly.

"We ate it all."

* * *

My sister and I do the gingerbread house every Christmas Eve, and it's a whole boat load of fun :)


	24. Early Presents

_Pure _Valkyrie/Skulduggery fluff :33 But it's just friendship, so no worries :D

* * *

_Tap tap. _

_Tap tap. _

Valkyrie looked up from her comfortable position in her bed and stared at the window. There was a skinny shadow tapping at her window, obviously Skulduggery. She muttered angrily and got up slowly, dragging herself to the window, and opening it. Skulduggery Pleasant slid through easily, shutting it just as quietly.

"Merry Christmas," he greeted her.

"It's still Christmas Eve," Valkyrie replied sleepily. "It's only eleven at night."

He shrugged. "It's close enough." He held out his hand and Valkyrie noticed the box wrapped in brightly colored blue wrapping paper. There was sparkling gold ribbon and a large golden bow in the center. "I wanted to give this to you, rather than when everyone is watching." He handed her the present, then scooted away, embarrassed. Valkyrie smiled and strolled back to her bed and flopped down on the soft covers. She folded up her legs and put the present on her legs.

Valkyrie began gingerly tearing at the blue paper, not wanting to ruin it.

"For goodness sake," Skulduggery murmured, "it's not a bomb."

She chuckled. "I know, I know. It's just too pretty to destroy." He chuckled and sat down next to her. She grinned and began tearing at the paper, still quietly, so not to wake her parents. She threw the blue paper on the ground, and then stared at the plain white box.

"No," he sighed, "I didn't get you a box."

She smiled. "Thank goodness. I probably would have just re-gifted it to you," she said. Valkyrie slid her finger under the sides and pulled the tape off, then flicked open the top part. There was baby blue tissue paper folded over, making the actual present invisible. Valkyrie frowned and tore away the thin paper. Under the tissue paper was a little plain journal, with a black, withered cover. There were a few pens, all an emerald green color.

"I saw that journal/book thing you keep once, and ended up reading a page of it," he muttered. "I gathered it wasn't a _diary_, per say, so I figured it would be alright…" His voice faltered as he looked over at Valkyrie. She smiled up at him, her eyes big and bright.

"I love it," she squealed and threw her arms around his neck. She giggled as his arms hesitantly curled around her back and he hugged her back.

"I'm glad you do. You were impossibly hard to shop for, I hope you know," he said, mock annoyance in his voice.

"I could say the same for you, Mr. Pleasant," she replied, placing the present in a drawer in a table by her bedside. "Guys are incredibly hard to get gifts for. But I think you'll like yours this year," she said. Valkyrie curled up in her bed and laid against the pillow softly. "This was a pretty good December, I do admit."

He nodded in agreement. "Even with Fletcher practically ruining everything," he smirked. "Doing all these Christmas things is quite entertaining, even for a man of such maturity as myself."

He chuckled and looked down at Valkyrie. She was clutching a plush penguin Fletcher had won for her once at a fair, and she looked peaceful for once. Valkyrie had a faint smile on her pretty face, and her hair drifted into her eyes. Skulduggery shrugged and scooted closer to her and he placed his arms around her. His mind shut off quickly and soon, he was asleep too.

* * *

Oh man, today was so fun. But now I'm totally exhausted and almost fell asleep during "A Muppet Christmas Carol" which would have been a disaster X33


	25. Presents!

Merry (or Happy, for those of you in your happy little UK) Christmas everyone! Hope it was a good one! What did everyone get for presents? I got: DS games, some books from the Cirque Du Freak series, Cirque Du Freak movie posters, A SNUGGIE, and a few other random things.

But for now, here's the very last installment of **25 Days of Christmas**. I thank everyone who reviewed and gave me ideas. You're all such sweet and amazing people, and I'm so glad you're all so nice! :D

* * *

"That should be Tanith and Ghastly," Skulduggery said, getting up from his seat in the living room of Gordon's house. He answered the door and indeed, Tanith and Ghastly were standing there, each holding a few presents. He led them back into the room, where Valkyrie and Fletcher were seated on the floor. Valkyrie squealed and ran up to them and hugged them both tightly.

"Merry Christmas!" she grinned. They both wished her a Merry Christmas back, and plopped down on the couch.

"Presents?" Fletcher asked excitedly. Ghastly laughed and nodded sure.

"Okay," Tanith said, taking charge, "Skulduggery, you start."

He shrugged, but began delicately tearing at the silver-y paper. It came undone, to reveal fluffy, neon green car dice.

"Well…" he said slowly, "this is interesting." He held them up and watched as Fletcher giggled.

"I picked them out," he grinned.

Skulduggery sighed. "Fantastic job, Fletcher," he replied sarcastically.

Ghastly laughed and handed a box to Tanith. "Open this one," he said softly.

She smiled and shook it. She tore at the paper like a crazy person, ripping it all apart. She pulled out a little metal box, decorated with stars and flowers. On the front, was a piece of paper that said, "Charlie."

"It's a Charlie in the Box," Ghastly said, explaining it. "You said you wouldn't mind having one, so we got you one."

She laughed. "Oh that's _funny_," she said. "Just _hilarious_."

Fletcher laughed and reached for a small box addressed to him. He ripped at the paper, as Valkyrie ripped at the blue paper on her gift. They opened the boxes simultaneously, and Fletcher pulled out a pair of pink lace underwear, while Valkyrie pulled out fake, stick-on tattoos.

"Were these, like, swapped or something?" Fletcher asked doubtfully, holding the lace underwear in his hand.

"No," Tanith replied. "Valkyrie and I were informed of your desire to get us underwear. We thought you'd enjoy your own pair." She smiled smugly.

"And Valkyrie, those may be your temporary tattoos," Skulduggery said, gesturing to the stick-on tattoos in her hand.

"So does that mean I'll get one someday?" she asked, excited.

He paused. "No."

Ghastly laughed and watched as Tanith shoved a present in under his nose.

"This is just from Fletcher," she said. "But we helped him pick it out." Ghastly nodded and unfolded the paper neatly. In the white box was a small tea set.

"I always interrupt your precious _tea time_," Fletcher muttered, "so there's that."

Ghastly chuckled. "Ha, well it's actually not bad," he said. "Nice design…"

Tanith laughed loudly. "You need a beer or something."

He grinned. "Most likely, but for now, open up this." He tossed her a small package, with a neat little red bow placed atop green wrapping paper. She tore it apart and saw it was her absolute favorite movie ever.

"An Affair to Remember!" she exclaimed throwing her hands in the air. "I love this!" Everyone chuckled and watched as Valkyrie passed a long roll of paper over to Skulduggery. He took it warily, trying to work out what it could be in his head.

He broke the top off and peered inside. It was a long cardboard tube. He pulled it out, and slid out something from the top. It was a movie poster. It had a red background, with James Stewart sitting in a wheelchair, with a camera up to his eye. There was a woman, with dark blond hair, leaning against the chair.

"Grace Kelly," he breathed and tilted his head in appreciation.

"That's a rather unhealthy obsession you have with her, Skulduggery," Valkyrie said.

"He cried for a week when she died," Ghastly muttered, smiling at his friend, as he admired Grace Kelly.

"It was a tragedy!" Skulduggery shouted, trying to defend himself. "I can't help her beauty."

Valkyrie snorted and tossed a present at Fletcher. He grinned and attacked the paper. He opened the box and screamed loudly.

"A Nintendo 64?" he screamed, hopping up. "I've always wanted one of these! How did you find it!?"

"Thank goodness for the Internet," Valkyrie smiled, handing him another smaller package. He tore it apart and pulled out three game cartridges.

"Freaking Pokemon Snap!" he exclaimed. "Harvest Moon…And freaking Kirby!!"

Valkyrie laughed. "You like it then, Fletcher?"

"I freaking love it!" he shouted and hugged her tightly. Everyone laughed as he sat down excitedly, staring at the new set.

"Hey Ghastly," Valkyrie said, "take this." She handed him a strangely shaped soft package. He took the bow off and ripped apart the paper. It was a fake, plush horse head. He stared at each other strangely, until Skulduggery handed him a small package. He unwrapped that and began laughing. It was a box set of each of the Godfather movies.

"I see, I see," he grinned, "it was a horse head like in the movies. Very funny."

Tanith laughed and handed Valkyrie a present. She smirked and ripped the paper. In the box was a small little black bag, with a few golden plates surrounding the clasp.

"Neat…I guess," she mumbled and opened the bag.

"Reach in," Skulduggery said softly. She frowned and stuck her hand in the bag, feeling around. Her frown deepened when she felt something. Valkyrie pulled out a shoe. She reached in again and after five minutes, pulled out three dictionaries, six shoes, and four 100-count boxes of pencils.

"You can be like Mary Poppins!" Fletcher said excitedly.

Tanith giggled. "I can't imagine Valkyrie as Mary Poppins."

Valkyrie smiled and looked up at Skulduggery. "So…it's a magical bag?"

"It is indeed," he replied, folding his arms across his chest defiantly. She scrunched up her nose and smiled at him, before tossing him a present.

He gradually tore away the paper and saw a few large pieces of cardboard, each with a huge label on them.

"Prefect," he grinned as he looked at the old records of his favorite artists. Tanith smiled at him and at everyone else as they all were examining their gifts.

"So was this a good Christmas or what?" she asked happily, hugging her movie to her chest.

"I do believe so," Skulduggery replied happily as Valkyrie sat beside him, still pulling things out of the bag.

"So," she asked hesitantly, "could I keep a car in here?"

"Why would you keep a car in a bag?"

"You never know!" she smirked and slapped his arm. He rolled his eyes and admired his Grace Kelly poster more.

"Merry Christmas," she grinned and leaned up against him.

He nodded and allowed her to snuggle closer. "Merry Christmas."

* * *

I had a whole lot of fun with this story and thanks for reading everyone! I loved all your reviews and happy holidays!

:D


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